Satin
by meglahem
Summary: Sebastian gets kicked out of his house. Kurt takes him in. Dave finds himself interested...again. Cannon up until Dave sort of drops off the map.
1. Chapter 1

"Dude, c'mon! Just CALL 'im!"

Dave pressed his fingers against his temples and sighed. There was no way he was calling Hummel-'Kurt! It's Kurt now; You don't call him Hummel anymore, dumbass.'-and ask him to help get his car started. They may be becoming almost-friends, but Dave wasn't about to go asking him for favors. Besides, he always lets Kurt get ahold of HIM. After the Valentines day incident, Dave couldn't get himself to initiate the contact. "I can't just CALL him, Az. He's, uh...He's working with his dad at the garage."

Azimio narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "An' that's a problem WHY?" He continued to stare at Dave while he tried to come up with another excuse. He was about to give up and grab his phone when an SUV pulled up next to them.

The window rolled down and Kurt stuck his head out to take a look at the pair. "Car trouble, boys?" He climbed out of the vehicle and wordlessly strolled around to the open hood, poking around at what Dave assumed to be the obvious cause of the problem. "There's not much I can do, but I could probably get my dad to drive out here and take a look at it, if you want. It doesn't look good, and I only trust myself with the basics."

Dave shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a slight smile, "Yeah, that'd be cool." Azimio was just about to climb back into the car, ready to wait for Burt, when Dave stopped him. "Any chance of you maybe giving us a ride back into town? It's starting to get a little cold, and we didn't bring coats or anything."

"Yeah, of course." Kurt smiled at them, "I was about to head back to the shop anyways with some supplies; You can catch a ride back there with me and talk to my dad."

The boys climbed into Kurts SUV, Dave into the passenger seat and Azimo into the back, pushing over a couple bags of aerosol cans and tools. After Kurt started to drive back to Lima, Dave turned just the slightest bit to face him. "I thought you worked in the shop with your dad on Saturdays?"

"Yeah, but it was really slow so dad had me run up to the auto parts store in Columbus. I've been up there all morning grabbing his stuff, among other things." He motioned to the other side of the back seat, where multiple bags of clothes sat and smirked, "Couldn't pass up on a little shopping for myself." Azimio curiously peeked into the closest bag, not surprised to find a few brightly colored scarves.

They were only a couple of miles away from the shop when Kurt's phone began to ring. Dave politely picked it up from the center council and handed it over so that Kurt wouldn't take his eyes off the road. He knew Kurt was a really attentive driver. Clearing his throat, Kurt put the phone up to his ear, "Hello, Kurt speaking!" The voice on the other line was muffled, but Dave thought he could almost recognize it, "Hold on, slow down a second...Okay, now slowly, what happened?" Dave and Azimio exchanged looks in the rear view mirror, "Do you need me to come pick you up? Okay, okay, I'm on my way over. Just hold tight, alright? Can you text me your address? See you soon." Kurt hung up the phone and tossed it in Dave's lap.

"Everything okay, Hummel?" Azimio leaned forward in his seat, "Somebody in trouble or somethin'?"

Kurt accelerated a bit, getting the SUV to race back to the shop a little faster. Dave noticed that he had been going exactly the speed limit up until now. "Maybe, I don't know. I had a hard time understanding him." Kurt threw his head around to check his blind spot before switching lanes quickly to make the turn onto his street, "I'm just going to drop you two off if that's alright, my dad knows who you are. Just let him know I needed to visit someone, okay?"

Both boys nodded, and sat in silence for the few moments it took for Kurt to pull up to the garage. Azimio already had his door open and was about to step out of the vehicle when Dave turned to Kurt, "Thanks again, Kurt. I really appreciate it."

Kurt smiled at him, "No problem, Dave. Sorry to just take off like this. If you're still around later on, I'll see you." Dave climbed out of the passenger seat, and the car backed up and drove off as soon as he shut the door.

Dave stood around for a moment processing the phone call before turning to walk into the garage. 'Hope it's not too bad. I don't think Kurt handles stressful stuff well.'

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Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. :) Let me know if you want more by reviewing or favoriting!


	2. Chapter 2

Sebastian paced back and forth in front of his garage, hands buried deep in his hair. "You ungrateful son of a bitch! With all I've done for you-" Mr. Smythe was cut off when Kurt hurriedly pulled into the driveway, stopping right in front of Sebastian.

"You're just embarrassed that your son turned out gay!" Sebastian spun around with his arms raised high above his head, shouting at the top of his lungs, "That's right! You heard me, fuckers! Sebastian Smythe loves cock! Fuck you, dad." He grabbed his duffle bag and jumped into Kurt's car before his dad could say anything. The man just stood in the garage doorway, gawking at his sons remarks.

Kurt drove off without asking any questions but after sitting in silence for most of the drive back to his house, curiosity got the best of him. "So...What happened?"

"What do you think happened, Kurt? We got in a fight. No big deal." Sebastian huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, slouching in his seat. Kurt looked at him expectantly from the corner of his eye, silently pressing for more. Sighing, Sebastian leaned his head against the window. He couldn't tell if he really wanted to talk about it with someone and let it all out, or if he should just fume silently like he always did. Giving in to Kurt's stare, Sebastian spoke, "I told him that I wanted to come out to the rest of our family. Officially. He's known that I'm gay for a while, but wanted me to keep it quiet. Bribed me to keep my mouth shut by sending me to Dalton and buying me whatever I wanted."

"Sounds like something you'd enjoy." Kurt didn't know if it was meant to be a question or a statement.

Sebastian scoffed, "Oh please, Kurt. I may be an asshole, but I'm not that bad." He paused, took a deep breath, and repositioned himself in the seat. "It was fun for a while, I guess. New car, new clothes, anything I asked for. But I got sick and tired of listening to my grandmother go on and on every time I see her about how nice it would be if I had a girlfriend to bring over for the holidays. Or my cousins trying to introduce me to cute girls they think would be good in bed. I just want them to know the truth, that I won't ever be bringing a girlfriend because I'll never have one." Closing his eyes, he felt tears well up in his eyes for the first time in years, "I don't care if they hate me for it...I just want them to know the truth..." He knew he was talking too much, but now that he had opened himself up to Kurt, he couldn't get himself to stop. "I know I don't seem like the type, but all I want is to be with someone who's proud to call me their boyfriend. I know I flirt way too much with every guy I meet, but I don't get in bed with all of them. I just like the attention, feeling wanted like that."

Kurt wanted to say something supportive, but he was awful with stressful situations, so he decided to try and lighten the mood instead. "You never flirted with ME." He glanced towards Sebastian and smiled.

"That's because you're-" Sebastian was about to spew out some generic, potentially hurtful comment that he kept handy just for Kurt, but stopped himself. Kurt was helping him, he stopped what he was doing and drove all the way to Columbus just to pick him up. They weren't even that good of friends. "You're not my type, princess."

"Hah! Okay, then what's your type?" He was prying a little, but it was probably a good idea to get Sebastian thinking about something else for a while.

Sebastian playfully punched him in the shoulder, "Like I'd ever tell you!" Kurt smoothly pulled into his driveway and parked near the road, leaving enough room for a car to get in or out of the garage. Kurt was already climbing out of the car but Sebastian hesitated. He grabbed his bag and ran to stop Kurt before walking into the house, "Hey, I know you're gonna have to tell your dad why I'm here, I know you guys are close, but...could you do me a favor and not tell anybody else? I don't really feel like having anyone feel sorry for me right now." Scuffing the toe of his shoe on the porch, Sebastian shoved his hands in his pockets, "It really isn't that big of a deal, anyways. I'll probably be out of your hair before tonight so I don't want anyone to be bothered by it."

Kurt let out an exaggerated sigh and pulled Sebastian into a hug, "You're not bothering anyone, 'Bastian." He tightened his arms a moment before taking a step back, "And don't feel like you have to rush out of here; you're welcome to stay as long as you want to." Sebastian gave an uncomfortable smile, glad that Kurt had put a little distance between them. He was led into the house and, after kicking off his shoes, followed Kurt into the kitchen. "Would you like a drink? We've got water, milk, and I know we have pop around here somewhere..." Kurt was already rummaging around in the cabinets before Sebastian had a chance to respond. Sebastian tried getting his attention, but he was too preoccupied with finding the soda Carol kept hidden from Burt and Finn. By the time Kurt made it to the kitchen table with a can of coke, Sebastian had already helped himself to a glass of ice water. He tipped his glass out like he was giving a toast before taking a few giant gulps.

The front door opened and Burt walked in with Dave and Azimo in tow. "Give them an hour, and you should be all set to go. The alternator's not too bad of a fix, it's just a little harder to get to than I thought." Burt hung his coat up on the wall and directed the boys to the stairs leading into the basement, "Finn's downstairs if you wanted to hang out with him while you're here. I'll have the game on up here, if you boys are interested." Burt stopped in the doorway to the kitchen when he noticed he wasn't alone. "Hey there Sebastian," he gave a polite wave to the boy, "Didn't know you'd be home so soon, kiddo."

"Yeah, about that...Dad, can I talk to you a moment?" Kurt left the kitchen and waved his dad down the hall. Burt followed his son, leaving Sebastian sitting alone in the kitchen with Dave and Azimo still standing by the front door.

Azimio half-heartily waved to Sebastian before moving to the living room and helping himself to the television. Dave stood frozen in the doorway, unsure of what to say. He hadn't seen Sebastian since that night at Scandals, the night Dave tried and failed to flirt with him. 'It's been like, six months. Does he remember what happened?' Smiling uncomfortably, Dave didn't move an inch. "Hey, Seb. Long time no see." The nickname slipped through his lips without hesitation, but he mentally kicked himself after realizing that Sebastian had never told him his name. 'Maybe it was a little weird to ask Kurt about him...'

Sebastian smiled politely, but it was obvious he was uncomfortable. "Hey, Dave." He shifted awkwardly in his seat, 'Is it weird that I asked Kurt for his name after he left?'

:3

I wasn't expecting to have the second chapter done so soon, it took me weeks to make finish the first one! I guess having nice people reading it gives me more motivation to write. :) Thanks a bunch, guys!


	3. Chapter 3

Warning: Mention of physical abuse in this chapter. And sorry for no warning for the language in the beginning of chapter 2. I'm still keeping the rating T, though, because that was a one-time language situation and after this chapter, the abuse probably won't be talked about in detail again. It's just a bit of back story.

:3

Dave tried to make himself look a little more comfortable by leaning against the wall, but nearly missed and had to catch his balance by grabbing the door frame. "So...How've you been? Everything okay?"

"Huh?" Sebastian snapped out of his thoughts about that night at Scandals, "Oh, yeah, everything's fine. I, uh...I'm..." He picked at a rough patch on his jeans. 'I'm sorry. C'mon, just say it.' "I'm gonna go find Kurt." Jumping up from his seat he dumped his glass out in the sink, setting the glass off to the side, and took off towards the hallway where Kurt and his dad had disappeared to. He slowed down for a moment as he walked past Dave, "...It was nice seeing you."

Watching him retreat down the hall, Dave thought over what had just happened. If Sebastian had honestly meant what he said at Scandals, that could be why things were so awkward. 'Kurt said he was just having a rough night, though. So maybe he didn't mean it, and he feels bad?' He had heard that Sebastian was a bit of an asshole most of the time, so Dave wasn't necessarily expecting him to apologize for what he said. It wasn't that big of a deal to him anyways; Sebastian was the first guy he had ever honestly tried flirting with and after the negativity he received, Dave had decided not to let it bother him. Not everyone was going to like him, anyways.

Dave had made a few changes to his lifestyle because of what Sebastian said, though. It wasn't for Sebastian; It would have been stupid of him to change for someone he didn't know. But he knew his weight had been holding him back, both in the romantic sense and just his overall life. So he started eating better, working out more than just in football practice. He even started going on runs, which Dave had to admit made him feel really good about himself. Maybe this new Dave would be enough to gain Sebastian's interest, maybe not, but it didn't matter. He didn't change because he was hurt by what Sebastian said; he changed because he knew it needed to be done. Sebastian just brought it to his attention.

"Yo, Dave! The game's about to start, man!" Azimio tossed one of the decorative pillows from the couch, hitting Dave in the back. He picked it up before tossing it onto the chair in the corner of the living room, and took a seat next to his friend, leaving the other end vacant for Burt. Azimo glanced down the hallway, "Friend of yours?"

"Not really. I barely know him"

:3

Sebastian slowly walked down the hallway, taking a good look at the decorations. It was a really nice size home, and he remembered Kurt saying something about his parents buying a new house after they got married. He was about to reach what he assumed to be the master bedroom at the end of the hall when Kurt poked his head out of the room across from it, "Hey, come in here a second. We've got something to show you!" Kurt grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the room before he could respond, "We still have to finish clearing out all of the boxes, but we cleaned off the bed for you!"

Burt put the box in his hand on the floor near the window and walked over to the boys and put a hand on Sebastian's shoulder, "You'll have the room to yourself for as long as you're here, buddy." Sebastian took a look around the room, and realized that he really liked the room. It was painted in neutral colors, but had a nice feel to it; Kurt had probably chosen the color palate when they moved in. But the fact that they had to start emptying out a room that they clearly used for storage, just for him, bothered him a bit. 'They expect me to stay. I wonder what they think happened.' Sebastian stood there uncomfortably, unsure of how to feel. It was incredibly nice for them to take him in like this, but he shouldn't have to be here. He should be home, with his father and younger sister. Burt gave his shoulder a squeeze, "I guess I'll leave you to it, then." He walked out of the room, leaving himself and Kurt just standing there, an awkward silence hanging between them.

"Everything okay, 'Bastian?" Kurt had taken a step forward to be a little closer, reaching out a hand and placing it on his Sebastian's arm, "I thought you'd like having a room to yourself, but you seem torn. What's up?"

Shaking his head slightly, Sebastian walked over to the bed and took a seat, "I don't know. I think I just wanna lay down for a while, if that's okay." He scooted back a bit, just enough so his legs weren't dangling over the edge of the mattress, "It's a lot to take in, feeling like this. You guys have been great, really, but you shouldn't have to do this."

Kurt crossed his arms around his abdomen and gave him a look of concern, "Did you want me to leave? I could go back in the living room, if you want." Sebastian thought it over for a moment. He had the same feeling as in the car on the way here, not sure on whether to tell Kurt more, let him in, or to shut him out. Finally, he shook his head and crawled under the covers, leaving enough room for Kurt to lie next to him if he wanted to. Kurt understood the gesture and got on the bed next to Sebastian, staying on top of the blanket, "Just make sure you let me know if you need to be alone, alright? I don't want you to feel obligated to let me stay." Sebastian didn't say anything but turned his body on its side so that he could curl into Kurt's chest, unable to control himself. This was too much, and before he knew what he was doing, sobs were wracking through his body, tears streaming down his face. Kurt put his hand on Sebastian's arm, rubbing up and down slowly, "Oh, 'Bastian..." Even though they weren't close, it hurt him to see Sebastian like this; he was always so strong and put together. Cocky, but still strong nonetheless.

"I don't know how long I'm gonna be here, b-but I can't go back. I just can't go back h-home..." The sobbing was making it hard for him to talk, but he needed Kurt to know what was going on; he couldn't keep it in any more. Kurt seemed to understand, and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, holding him close. He took a few deep breaths, trying to control the tears, before continuing, "We didn't just get in an argument...We were when you got there, but...But it was so much worse before. That's why I called you; I didn't know what else to do. I t-tried calling my mom, Blaine...Neither of them answered, and I didn't know who else to c-call..."

"Sebastian, what happened?" Kurt arranged their bodies so that he could try to make eye contact, but Sebastian kept his face hidden, still crying.

He lay still for a moment, unsure how to tell Kurt. Eventually he rolled onto his back, hesitated, then slowly lifted up the hem of his shirt to show an array of bruises covering his stomach and chest. Sebastian could feel Kurt tense up beside him. Both of them were unsure of what to say; Sebastian didn't need to explain what happened, it was obvious that his dad had hurt him bad, and Kurt had no idea how to express how upset, disgusted, worried and sad he was. How could somebody do this to their son? Sebastian couldn't hold back the heart-wrenching sobs that escaped his mouth which were much worse than before. He curled back into Kurt's chest, crying uncontrollably. Kurt, still unsure of what to say, stayed by Sebastian's side. He let the boy cry and cry until almost suddenly he seemed to relax. It wasn't until a few moments later that he realized that Sebastian had fallen asleep. Staying a little while longer, he made sure Sebastian was sound asleep before slipping out from underneath him, tucking him in, and finally leaving the room.

:3

I know I didn't go into much detail about the abuse, but it hurt me too much to think about. It will be mentioned again in the future, but in even less detail than here. Thank you guys for the support, and I promise to update again soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Warning for a bit of language. If you guys think there's too much swearing to keep this rated T, I'll go ahead and change it to M. I just figure people swear sometimes, so I'm not sure if it's enough to change the rating. Also, I know Sebastian may seem a little out of character right now but I think that everyone has their breaking point, and I believe he finally reached his. He'll be a little more 'himself' once he gets settled. Thank you all for the support and the comments!

:3

Sebastian woke with a start, mind foggy and feeling lost. 'This definitely isn't my room...' It took a few moments before everything came back to him. He was at Kurt's, and they had offered him this room. The last thing he remembered was crying on Kurt, 'I showed him...Damn it, I fucking showed him...' Sebastian rolled out from under the covers and snuck into the hallway, listening for Kurt and his family. It sounded like they were talking quietly in the kitchen, so he crept down the hall, trying not to make a sound. When he got close to the kitchen, he stopped to eavesdrop on what sounded like Burt, most likely talking to Kurt.

"We can't just let this bastard get away with this, Kurt! We need to get the police involved!"

Kurt sighed, "I know, dad. I want to call as badly as you do. But we can't just throw that on 'Bastian so suddenly." A kitchen chair scraped against the linoleum, as Kurt pushed the chair away from the table. Sebastian peeked around the corner in time to see Kurt giving his dad a hug, "If he wakes up and police start badgering him with questions he's going to be really uncomfortable, being questioned so unexpectedly. We need to at least talk to him first."

Feeling courageous, Sebastian stepped into the kitchen. He cleared his throat to make it known that he was there, but the words he spoke came out in a whisper. "I'm sorry I didn't call them first..." He wrapped his arms around his waist, feeling self-conscious, "I just didn't know what to do. I was so scared..." Both men turned to look at him, looking mixed between saddened and concerned. Burt uncomfortably shoved one hand in his jeans pocket, the other adjusting his baseball cap while Kurt took the few steps it took to close the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck. He couldn't control the sob that escaped his throat, though no tears were shed this time. He didn't have the energy to cry any more, even after his nap. His shoulders shook as he rested his forehead on Kurt's shoulder, pushing one of his arms out of the way, "I'm s-sorry...I'm so sorry, Kurt..."

"No, no, don't be sorry 'Bastian. You did what you could." Kurt rubbed a hand in circles between Sebastian's shoulders, "You were absolutely right to give me a call. I know I wasn't your first choice, but I'm more than happy to be here for you." He let the boy take a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down before continuing, "Now...Do you think you're ready to talk to the police? When we call won't change what happened, but the sooner the better. Is that alright with you?" All Sebastian could do was nod, unable to make eye contact with the Hummel's as he stepped away from the embrace. Kurt nodded to his dad, making sure he knew what Sebastian's decision was.

Burt left the room before pulling out his phone to call the police, giving the boys some privacy. Without a word, Kurt refilled Sebastian's glass from earlier and handed the water to him, letting him rehydrate after all of the crying he had done earlier. Neither boy said anything as they took seats across from each other at the kitchen table, waiting to hear from Burt when the police were arriving. There was an uncomfortable silence between them that made Kurt wiggle in his seat, unsure of what to do or say. He decided to fill the air with mindless chatter, "So Finn brought Dave and Azimio back to the shop so that they could get Dave's car. It was probably weird seeing Dave again, huh?" To this, Sebastian only shrugged. He knew it was a little awkward, but it was also sort of nice. He knew he was horrible to Dave the last time they saw each other, but Sebastian had to admit, Dave was pretty handsome. 'He's looking really good.' Kurt crossed his legs, "Carole should be home with dinner in a little over an hour, but we don't normally eat until six. Finn's really good at sneaking a few bites before we sit down, though. I think it's obnoxious, but I guess if I had his metabolism I'd be itching to eat too." He flicked an imaginary crumb off of the table, "I'm sure either Finn or I have something you'd be able to wear to bed tonight. I don't know if you'd rather borrow a pair of my pajamas, or just wear one of Finn's shirts and sweatpants; I'll have to admit, those clothes may be huge on us, but they're super comfy." Tapping his fingers in a musical pattern Kurt waited for Sebastian to say something, but the boy stayed silent, playing with the rough patch on his jeans again.

Kurt opened his mouth again to say something but Sebastian suddenly stood up, almost knocking over the chair he had been sitting in. "Please, Kurt, just stop...Sorry, I...I just can't do this right now." He walked towards the hallway, ready to lay back down again, "I'm sorry, Kurt. You can come get me when the cops get here, alright?" Kurt nodded wordlessly as Sebastian left the room, skulking off towards the guest room. 'It's MY room now, I guess...' Once he reached his room, he collapsed onto the bed face first. Sebastian knew he wouldn't get any more sleep before the police arrived, but it was nice to get away from everything. Kurt was being incredibly nice and caring, but it was too much for him to handle right now. He must have dozed off though, because before long there was a knock at the door. It was too soft and timid to be anyone other than Kurt. Sebastian shook his head a bit to wake himself up, "...Comin'...I'm coming." Rolling out of bed again, he walked over to the door and opened it to Kurt about to knock again. He must've not heard Sebastian waking up.

The pair silently walked down the hall back to the kitchen, where two officers sat at the kitchen table, Burt sitting at the head of the table next to one of them. All three turned their heads as the boys entered the room. A woman officer stood and held out her hand before either of them could take a seat, "Sebastian, I'm Officer Davies. We'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's alright."

:3

Dave had just dropped Azimio off at home when he realized that he had left his phone at the Hudmel household. He swore silently to himself, unsure if he wanted to go back so he could grab it and risk running into Sebastian again. Driving in the general direction of both his and Kurt's house, he made the decision to get it at the last possible moment, cutting off a frail old woman in a Prius who honked her horn at him. He waved an apology through his window before speeding off towards his destination. He was about to pull up to the house a few moments later before he noticed the police car in the driveway. Instantly, he realized that it had something to do with Sebastian. There was the frantic call to Kurt while he was helping with his car, then he was at their house. Knowing that the two weren't exactly friends, Dave could only assume something terrible had happened. 'Terrible enough to involve the cops.'

Passing the Hudmel's house, Dave took the long way home. Thoughts raced through is mind the entire ride there, 'I can't call either of them, but I can't just show up with the cops there. I could stop by later, but I don't want to interrupt their dinner. And even if I do go back to get it, do I just grab my phone and bolt? Or do I talk to Kurt? What about Seb; should I try and talk to him?' He parked his car in his driveway and went straight to his room without taking off his shoes or letting his dad know he was home. Dave was definitely confused; he and Kurt were close enough now to where Dave could ask about what was going on, but he didn't want Sebastian to think he didn't care enough to ask him about it himself, and he wasn't close enough to Sebastian to do that. Blocking out all of his thoughts, Dave crawled into bed fully clothed, hoping some rest would help him make up his mind.

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	5. Chapter 5

I've been posing a lot more than I've expected to, but I'm really happy that everyone is enjoying this! Thank you so much, everyone, for the comments, favorites, and follows!

:3

The smell of pancakes leaked into Sebastian's room, letting him know that someone else was awake. He hadn't been able to fall asleep at all during the night. Pulling the covers over his head, he tried to block out the smell; it was making him sick. He hadn't been able to even think of eating without feeling nauseous since about dinner last night, which he had forced himself to sit through so that he wouldn't seem rude. Everyone had been so wonderful, but he couldn't bear to face them this morning. Sebastian rolled over onto his stomach, wrapping him self up in his blankets, and tried to block out the noises of people rummaging around in the kitchen.

:3

Dave was going to do it. He was going to park his car, walk up to the Hudmel house, and get his phone; he was only going to stay to ask about how Sebastian was doing if he ran into either him or Kurt. Otherwise, he was just going to leave. 'Come on, Dave. You can do this. It's not that hard.' He finally decided to pull into the driveway once he realized that he had driven past it a few times; if anyone had been watching, they'd probably think he was a creep.; 'Car parked; check.' Dave hadn't even reached the door before Carole had it open, smiling at him, "I missed you yesterday, Dave; it's good to see you!" She pulled him in for a hug when he reached her. Dave was hoping that she heard his car door shut, and hadn't seen him pass the house multiple times. 'Walk up to the house; check.' Carole stepped back but squeezed his shoulders lovingly, "Come on in, sweetheart. We just finished eating breakfast, but Finn already went back to bed." Just as he closed the door behind him, Carole handed his phone to him, "I'm assuming you came by for this?"

"Yeah, thanks Carole." Dave's smile was genuine, but he wasn't sure whether or not he was relieved that he didn't see either Kurt or Sebastian. 'Get my phone back; check.' He was almost hoping that one of the boys would show up before he had a chance to leave, and it seemed that Carole had made the decision to stay and chat easy; she had been saying something, but Dave hadn't been listening. This time he smiled uncomfortably, and she seemed to understand.

"Did you want to see Sebastian? Kurt said you two knew each other." 'Yeah, barely. But...I did want to see how he was doing...' Carole looked at him expectantly, seeming to read his mind. "He's in his room down the hall, across from my room. You can go talk to him, if you want." She left him standing by the door to finish cleaning up in the kitchen.

Dave stood around awkwardly for a moment before squaring his shoulders and, with a determined look on his face, walked straight towards Sebastian's room. 'See how Seb's doing; ...check. Almost.' He hesitated outside the door with his fist raised, ready to knock. 'What if he doesn't want to see me?' Shaking his head to clear his mind, Dave finally knocked. The first time it was soft and quiet and when Dave didn't get a response, he knocked a little harder. He heard a muffled, sleep-ridden groan from inside the room, and assumed he was given the okay to enter. The first thing he noticed was the untouched plate of pancakes on the bedside table; the next was the heap of blankets on the bed, with one of Sebastian's feet peeking out from the end.

Before he was able to announce his presence, Sebastian poked his head out from under the blankets. He seemed to almost glare at Dave, but instead pointed to the pancakes. "Get them out. NOW." Wide eyed and confused, Dave did what he was asked. He politely set them next to the sink and shrugged when Carole gave him a look that mimicked his confusion. Without a word, he walked back to Sebastian's room to see him almost sitting up in bed, still wrapped up in the blankets. Sebastian shrugged sheepishly and hid his face under the covers a little more. Dave blushed, 'That's the cutest damn thing I've ever seen.' "Sorry 'bout that. The smell was making me sick."

"It's fine, happy to help." Dave mentally kicked himself for his lack of words. Feeling confident, he took a chance and sat on the edge of the bed, turning a bit to face Sebastian, "Just wanted to see how you were doing."

Sebastian kept his face mostly hidden, unsure of how to react to that. There was an uncomfortable silence throughout the room for a few moments before he spoke again, "...Did Kurt tell you?"

Dave shook his head, "Haven't seen him. I came by to grab my phone, and Carole said you were still here. Thought you might, I don't know...Maybe you needed someone to talk to?" He recoiled when he saw the look on Sebastian's face; he did NOT need someone to talk to, apparently. "Okay, okay, maybe a distraction instead? Just shoot the shit, or whatever. Just...hang out." Dave glanced up to look at Sebastian, hoping to have a better reaction this time. Sebastian sat up a little straighter in bed, moving the blanket down from his face. "That sound okay to you?"

"Yeah, yeah, that...that sounds nice." Sebastian smiled at him. It was a small smile, but it was something. Dave beamed at him, happy to have gotten such a positive reaction from the boy. Scowling, Sebastian grabbed a pillow from behind him and smacked the football player with it, "Oh, shut up; You don't need to be so giddy about it." Dave laughed as he tried to dodge a few more hits, but was unsuccessful.

After the play-fighting had calmed down, Dave settled back on his elbows, gazing at Sebastian; mussed up hair from both sleep and one-sided pillow fighting, face flushed, unable to stop chuckling to himself. Dave sighed, 'Breathtaking.' He was happy that Sebastian was taking his presence so well. "So, it's been a while. Wasn't sure if you'd even want to see me." It was a light hearted comment, but Dave honestly wasn't sure.

The expression on Sebastian's face faltered for a moment, but he brought a smirk back in it's place, "And why wouldn't I want to see a handsome guy like you?" He knew he was pushing it, after the horrible things he said to Dave that night at Scandal's, but he wasn't lying; he may have been pissy that night, but he couldn't deny the fact that he found Dave attractive. Dave blushed at the comment, but he didn't look uncomfortable; he looked confident. Like he was proud that someone had called him handsome, even if they were joking around. Sebastian decided to change track a little, not sure if the current conversation would lead to talk about what had happened to bring him here. "How've you been, Dave? You're looking good."

Dave's blush deepened, but he kept his gaze on Sebastian, "I've been alright. Recovering, mostly. Things have been hard after, well, you know." Yeah, Sebastian knew. It was all he had been able to think about for a couple of months. Dave's suicide attempt. The thought gave Sebastian a chill down his spine. "But I'm doing better. I'm back at McKinley, now. Coach Beiste even let me back on the football team."

"Is it okay that you're playing already? I mean, everything's fine, right?" Dave could tell that Sebastian looked concerned; Sebastian was good at covering how he actually felt, but Dave was surprised at how easily he could read his eyes.

"Yeah, there wasn't a lot of physical damage to anything, just a lot of bruising." He shrugged, "No big deal."

"No big deal? Dave, you..." Sebastian didn't know what to say. Of course it was a big deal. Dave had tried to kill himself. He shook his head, letting out an exasperated sigh, "How are you taking it so damn well?"

Chuckling, Dave turned to lay on his side with his feet still dangling off the edge of the bed as to not be sticking them near Sebastian's face, "It wasn't so easy at first. But football was one of the things that really helped me, and hockey's gonna be starting soon. If I get on the team, I'll be golden." He watched Sebastian as he fell deep into thought, his eyebrows coming together in concentration. Dave had a hard time not just staring at the boy, but he didn't want to be a creep. He had enough of that driving past the house so many times. Picking at a loose thread on the blanket, Dave cleared his throat, "I know you said you didn't want to talk about it, but I'm here if you need anything. I could leave my number, if you wanted." He blushed and stared more fiercely at the pattern on the blanket, "No pressure, or anything."

Sebastian considered this for a moment, "That'd be...nice. I'd like that." He blushed and tried to hide his face in the covers again, "Thanks, Dave."

"Nuh-uh, none of that," Dave reached up and pulled the blanket away from Sebastian's face and laughed, "You're not allowed to hide that face." Sebastian smiled brightly but then dove under the covers, playfully peeking out from the foot of the bed. Dave's laugh increased in volume, "Oh, so THAT'S how it's gonna be, huh?" He launched himself forward, pinning Sebastian to the bed. Feeling courageous, Dave shoved a hand under the blanket and felt around for his sides, wiggling his fingers to tickle him.

"No, no! I surrender!" Sebastian's laugher rang through the house, alerting everyone to his improved mood. Kurt smiled to himself from his seat on the couch, where he had gotten comfy with a book after his shower. Maybe this would be good for them.

'New goal...Hear Seb laugh; check.'

:3


	6. Chapter 6

I am totally, sincerely sorry that I haven't been updating this. I've been so swamped with final exams and work that I haven't had the chance to post anything. Thank you all for your patience and support! Love you guys.

:3

Dave groaned as he took a seat in the auditorium. He had tried to slip in a quick workout before having to attend another mandatory sit-in to watch the glee club. He didn't mind-they were actually pretty good-but it was seriously cutting in to his gym time. Things had been going really well for him lately; he was losing weight, feeling fantastic, and had even been keeping in touch with Sebastian through texts. Or at least he HAD been keeping in touch; Dave hadn't heard from him all day, which felt a little weird. It's not like they talked about a lot, but for the past week, they would randomly ask each other simple questions, trying to get to know each other a little better. But so far today, nothing. Dave sighed again as he checked his phone for any new messages. 'I should probably talk to Kurt and see what's been up, since we're both gonna be here.'

The glee kids were stretching on stage or warming up in the seats closest to the stage, when Burt walked in through the side entrance and hurriedly made his way towards Kurt. Mr. Schuester was the first to notice the man, giving him a wave, "Burt! To what do we owe the honor?"

"Problem. Mind if I grab my kids a sec'?" Burt didn't bother giving an explanation just yet; Will would be hearing it soon enough, when he talked to Finn and Kurt. He got the boys' attention and waved them over. Once they saw the look on their father's face, they knew not to hesitate.

Kurt was the first to reach him, with Blaine in tow. "Dad, what's going on? I thought you had to work?"

"Is mom okay? Why isn't she with you?" Finn asked worriedly, knowing something was up.

Burt grabbed Finn's shoulder reassuringly, "Your mother's fine, Finn. We just... We've got a bit of an issue. She came home and Sebastian was gone."

"What do you mean Sebastian was gone?" Kurt crossed his arms over his chest uncomfortably, "Did he say he was going anywhere? What happened?"

Dave could see the group talking, looking upset. He decided to take a chance and walk over there to see what was going on. He walked up behind Blaine as Burt tried to explain the situation. "We got word today that his dad lost custody of the kids. Which-", he continued before anyone could interrupt him, "-would be great, but that means his mother get's custody."

Both Kurt and Blain wore the same grave expressions, but Finn continued to look confused. "So...what's wrong with that? Can't they just go live with her?"

"They are. What's wrong is that she lives in Paris." Burt pulled the bill of his baseball cap a little, readjusting it, "Carole told Sebastian, and he was furious. Stormed out without saying anything, and he's not answering his phone. She's been driving around trying to find him, but she isn't having any luck."

Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand, trying to comfort him, "We can drive and around and look for him as well, Mr. Hummel. We can all take separate cars, cover more ground."

Burt nodded, then looked past the pair at Dave, "Think maybe you could stick around the house, Dave? Seem's like you're the one who's talked to him the most lately, maybe he'd be more comfortable coming home if you were there. Someone to talk to."

Dave would have smiled if the situation hadn't been so severe; it was nice to hear them refer to their house as Sebastian's home. It sounded like they were all happy to have him there. "Yeah, I can do that. I'll keep my phone around just in case he calls." Dave didn't wait to hear if Burt had anything else to say, immediately turning around to grab his backpack and head out to his car. Azimio tried to stop him on his way out, but he was too focused to worry about telling him. He decided he would text him as soon as he got to the Hudmel household and fill him in then.

It wasn't until Dave was already at the house, sitting in the kitchen and drinking some water out of the coffee cup Sebastian admitted to liking the most, that the reality of the situation really hit him. 'If Seb's mom lives in Paris and she has custody of him now...He has to move there. He...He's leaving...But that's not fair. Everything he knows and loves is HERE...He's almost eighteen...couldn't they just let him stay?

Hours after his arrival and several texts from everyone that they still weren't having any luck, Dave decided he couldn't sit around and wait any longer. It was dark, every night getting colder than the last, and he was worried. Just as he was about to grab his coat, the front door slowly swung open behind him. Dave turned around to see a shivering Sebastian, coatless and arms wrapped around himself. He had hardly given any acknowledgement to Dave's presence before taking a few steps forward and collapsing into his chest. Letting out a relieved half laugh-half sob Dave couldn't help but stand there, holding Sebastian close.

:3

Again, I'm SO sorry that this took so long to update. I cut this chapter a little short, just so I could get it up as soon as possible. The rest of what was supposed to be in this chapter will be in the next. Thank you guys so much!


	7. Chapter 7

Dave let Sebastian go long enough to make sure his phone was in his pocket; he'd let everyone know that Sebastian was back as soon as Dave got him settled in somewhere warm. Rubbing Sebastian's arms in an attempt to warm them up, Dave gazed into his eyes, "Where do you wanna go, Seb?"

"Bedroom, p-please..." Sebastian's voice was quiet and he kept his head low, leading Dave up to the room he was occupying. Once they reached his room, Dave beat Sebastian to the bed and pulled the covers back, allowing him room to crawl in. Wordlessly, Dave climbed in after him, wrapping them both up tightly in the blanket.

Before he got too comfortable, he sent Kurt a text, asking him to let everyone know that Sebastian was home. After turning the volume down, Dave set the phone on the bedside table and let Sebastian snuggle up into his chest. They laid in silence long after they heard everyone come home. Kurt had stopped by the room and poked his head in to see if everything was alright, but Dave just shook his head.

He didn't know how bad things were in Sebastian's head right now, but they sure as hell weren't good. Dave knew Sebastian was okay with the Hudmel's getting the police involved, but it's still hard to hear that your father is in trouble. It must be even harder to hear that you're supposed to be moving half way across the world to go live with a woman you haven't seen in years.

As if reading his mind, Sebastian adjusted a bit to look Dave in the eyes, "I don't want to go. There's nothing for me in France. No friends, no family besides my mom, and everything I had planned to do after high school is here...College, a career..."

"I know, Seb. I don't want you to go either. There must be something we can do to keep you here." Dave wracked his brain for ideas, but came up empty. "Aren't there any relatives who could take you in?"

Sebastian shook his head, "Not once they hear why my dad beat me. He was probably the most accepting person in my family, there's no way it'll turn out good if I go live with anyone else." He thought back to when one of his aunts' neighbors came out. Her family had moved to another town, just so they wouldn't risk running into them; they didn't want his 'gay' to rub off on their kids. And that was probably the least negative example of his family's ignorance. "Moving to France is my only option..."

Dave's head hurt. He finally found a guy who he might possibly have a chance with, and he's moving to another country? It just wasn't fair. There had to be something he could do. He held Sebastian a little tighter as he tried to keep himself from crying, not surprised when Sebastian squeezed him a little harder in return. 'New goal: Find a way to keep Seb here.'

:3

Next chapter will be up soon! Working on it right now. Thank you all again for your continued support! Love you guys!


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you for your patience, everyone! Love you guys!

:3

Sebastian was surprised when he saw his father's name flash across his phone. He didn't hesitate to pick up, "Dad, hi. What's going on?"

"I was told that as long as you were willing, I was allowed to call you. Is this okay?"

It was strange that his dad was being so respectful about this. "Yeah, of course it's okay." 'Don't say you're sorry, he deserved this.' "Everything okay?"

Mr. Smythe sighed, "No. I'm...I'm so sorry, son. I shouldn't have done what I did, I didn't want any of this to happen." There was a pause, but Sebastian knew his father wasn't done, "I heard about your mother getting custody. I need you to know something, Sebastian. She's not who you think she is. I know that theres almost no chance of me getting you kids back, but you need to look into this. There may be another option for you. I have to go, but please, PLEASE do a little digging. It's for your own good."

'Not who I think she is? What is that supposed to mean?' Sebastian could feel a heat burning in his eyes, but he kept his composure, "I love you, dad."

"I love you too, son. I really do. Give your Aunt Lucy a call and let your sister know I love her too." The phone disconnected before Sebastian could say anything else.

Without a second thought, Sebastian scrolled through his contact list until he found Dave. It wasn't until the third ring that he realized this was the first time he had ever called Dave. Before hearing about his mother's gained custody, they had texted frequently. Even after Sebastian had stormed out of the Hudmel's home and gotten lost, eventually finding his way back home, they still only shared a few slightly longer and more heartfelt texts.

Dave had picked up before the fifth ring, "Hey there, stranger." Sebastian could almost hear his smile over the phone, his tone was so bright.

With barely a moments thought, Sebastian decided he would rather have this conversation in person, since it was a serious topic. "Let's do lunch. You alright with picking me up?"

:3

"So let me get this straight...Your dad called you, and pretty much, what, told you your mom wasn't fit to take you and your sister in?" Dave sighed and poked at his pasta with his fork, "Any idea what he's talking about?"

"None whatsoever." Sebastian waved their waitress over to get a refill on his iced tea, "Last I heard from her, she had gotten married to some wealthy guy while she was in Paris, and her travels over seas to explore new things was never ending. That was about...five years ago. The most I've heard from her since then have been just from birthday and Christmas cards every year."

The boys sat in silence for a moment while they enjoyed a little bit more of their food. A disgusted look crossed Dave's face as he took another bite, "We really need to find somewhere better to eat. Sorry I suggested Breadstix, but this is the only half -decent place close by."

Chuckling, Sebastian pushed his empty plate to the end of the table, "It's fine, Dave. Maybe next week we can take a little trip to Columbus for the day; there's this hole-in-the-wall burger joint that's surprisingly fantastic." They both smiled at the thought of going out again. This lunch may have been planned because Sebastian needed to talk, but it had turned into a pretty decent date. Sebastian blushed as he thought of it that way. 'Does this count as a date?'

Sebastian had technically asked Dave to lunch. It was strange to think that just over a month ago they had no idea they were ever going to run into again, let alone texting each other almost every day. Now they were having lunch together; out in public, not just an accidental lunch where Dave was over when they happened to be eating. Since he asked Dave, was Sebastian supposed to pay the bill when it came? Did Dave expect him to?

Dave seemed to have had the same thought as the waitress stopped by with their bill, and he instinctively snatched it before Sebastian had the chance. He slipped he proper amount of cash into the bill holder and immediately handed it back to her, "Keep the change." Dave turned to Sebastian as he slipped his jacket over his shoulders, "I'll cover dinner and maybe you can pay for a movie? And we can switch it up next time?"

"Oh, so we're seeing a movie now?" Sebastian smiled brightly at Dave, resisting the urge to grab his hand that was resting on the table, "It's a date."

:3

Thank you so much for sticking with this! I promise to have another chapter up soon. :)


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